Vice President Leni Robredo revealed on Tuesday that familiar names in the administration’s senatorial slate prompted her to urge former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II to run for senator.
According to Robredo, she felt responsible for providing a senatorial line-up which would ensure the betterment of the country, after the current administration seemingly endorsed the Marcoses.
“Noong nakita na natin iyong line-up na pino-propose ng administrasyon, parang nakaka-dismaya […] iyong mga pamilyang, mga pangalan na ibinibigay. May Marcos na naman, kung sino-sino (When we saw the administration’s line-up, we were disappointed. The names were the same, there is a Marcos again, etc.)” the Vice President said in an interview with Radio Mindanao Network.
Robredo, who chairs the Liberal Party (LP), admitted that Roxas did not immediately entertain the idea.
“Kaya ako, naglakas-loob akong puntahan si Secretary Mar. Actually, iyong una niyang reaksyon, parang sinabi niya wala na siyang balak […] masaya na siya sa ginagawa niya ngayon. Sabi niya, iyong matagal niya daw hindi nagawa for a long time, ngayon niya lang nagagawa, kaya wala na siyang balak,” she added.
(I went to Secretary Mar to urge him to run. At first, he said he has no more plans to run for an elective post. He is already happy with what he is doing now. He said he was able to do the things he has always wanted to do for a long time. So he has no political plans.)
According to Robredo, people have been clamoring for Roxas to return to the Senate, three years after he lost the presidential race.
However, she said she hesitated because taking a break from politics seemed to have done Roxas good.
“Bihira kami magkita, pero every time nakikita ko siya, ibang-ibang Sec. Mar iyong nakikita. Kaya every time may magsasabi sa akin na kumbinsihin, ako, ayaw ko. Ayaw ko kasi parang nahihiya ako […] na sobra na iyong sinakripisyo para sa bayan, sobra na iyong pag-alay na ginawa, tapos, parang, yayayain mong pumasok ulit nang ganito kagulo,” she added.
(We rarely see each other, but every time we see each other I see a different Sec. Mar. So every time someone asks me to convince him to run, I hesitate. I acknowledge that he has sacrificed a lot for the country. He has given a lot. Then here you are asking him to get into trouble again.)
Roxas formalized his senatorial candidacy under the LP slate. After serving as the representative of the 1st district of Capiz, he was appointed as a cabinet member of the Estrada and Arroyo administrations. He was elected to the Senate in 2004.
READ: Mar Roxas files candidacy for senator
The Liberal Party is scheduled to announce its formal candidates on October 24, once Robredo returns to the country. She is currently in Vancouver, Canada fulfilling several speaking engagements.
“Gusto naming patapusin muna iyong filing, kasi mas mabuting patapusin muna iyong ingay saka kaguluhan, tapos i-a-announce sa 24 […] Makikita niyo naman pag-announce namin na iyong pagpili talaga nito, pinaghirapan,” Robredo said.
(We want to finish the filing of COCs first. Then we will announce our candidates officially on October 24. You will see that we’ve chosen well.)
Aside from Roxas, LP has three other official candidates — reelectionist Senator Bam Aquino, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, and former Quezon Representative Erin Tañada. /ee
READ: LP fields Aquino, Diokno, Tañada for 2019 Senate race